(412b) Economical Evaluation of Biomass-Fired Power Generation in Japan

Biomass, that is carbon neutral and a renewable resource, becomes attractive after the decision of Biomass-Nippon strategy in Japan. We are trying to construct a database concerning utilization of woody biomass. In this study, biomass-fired power generation was aimed. The properties of biomass such as the heating value and the moisture content were considered. The efficiency of power generation that depends on the plant capacity was statistically surveyed. The relationship between the construction cost and the plant capacity was observed. The information of the running cost of the power plant that mainly comprises the maintenance cost, personnel cost, and the cost of ash treatment was also collected. Consequently, they were expressed as functions of plant capacity and a simulator which can economically evaluate in brief was made. That is, the electricity cost, the economical payback periods etc. can be estimated. Although a location and cost of estate was not taken account of in the simulator and a detail process design would be required later, it enables us to typically evaluate biomass-fired power generation in Japan from the economic viewpoint. Therefore, it is considered that the simulator that was developed in this study can be effectively used for first step of introduction of biomass-fired power generation.